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Good morning, Marketers, the two biggest search engines halted ad sales in Russia last week.
Bing and Google aren’t alone in their actions either: Snap Inc. and Twitter also suspended ads in Russia. Facebook has done so as well, but only for state-funded media. These policy changes have cut off the main channels western search marketers use to reach audiences in Russia.
One interesting ripple here is that this might be what the Russian government wanted as well: Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications regulator, has accused YouTube of running “advertising campaigns to misinform the Russian audience,” according to the Wall Street Journal. The new ad suspensions are a form of protest against Russia’s actions in Ukraine, but they may also put a temporary end to the ads Russia is complaining about.
It’s unclear how long these suspensions will last, but they may help us steer clear of brand safety fiascos from unwanted placements. And, advertisers that are extremely reliant on their Russian audiences can still use Yandex to reach them.
On a related note, if you’re looking for ways to help those affected by these tragic events, we’ve published some resources created by SEO entrepreneur Olesia Korobka for Ukrainian search marketers looking for employment and for employers looking to fill roles.
George Nguyen,
Editor
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